Escapement mechanism for line-casting machines.



A. W. LE BOEUF. ESCAPEMBNT MBCHANISM FOR LINE CASTING MACHINES. APPLIUATION 1111.31) DBO. 1a, 1912.

L I osm, Patented Aug. 25, w14;

2 h-f- K vertical column of matrices M resting one upon another. i

3 represents the associated stai' wheel which is pivoted to awfixture, and has four arms which are adapted to siiccessively p10 wheel arm 3b when the forwardly projecting star wheel arm 3a is projecting in substantially horizontaldirection into the magazine, so as to extend beneath the lowest matrix, and support the7 entire matrix column. The rear end ofthis detent lever projects into a notch 6a in the front edge of a vertically n movable reed 6; and thelowerI end 'of this reed rests upon the rear end 7. By depressing the front end of the key lever, the reed is raised, andthe detent lever 1 is moved so as toreleaseits engagement with the star arm 8,.,whereupon the weight of the column of matrices acting -on" arm 3a will cause-said star wheel to turn. This permits the falling of the lowest' matrix out of the bottom of the matrix magazine; but when the star wheel does so turn the next arm 3d of the star wheelthe one which had been projecting upward-will insert itself beneath the next to the lowest matrix. In .order'to stop the star wheel at a suitable point so that this arm'may support the ma' trix column, `the stop lever s is provided. This is pivoted to a suitable fixture, and extends down from its pivot, and it has in its lower edge a notch 2 which receives an upwardly extended finger l, whichy is a. part of the. detent lever 1f Any movement of either lever 1 or 2 is necessarily accompanied by a reciprocal movement of the other lever; that is to say when one lever moves into the path of the stai wheel arms. the other moves out, and vice versa. As will he seen from the drawing, when the front end of the detent lever l is engaging the stai' Wheel aiin 3b, the lower end of lever 2 is out of the path of the star wheel arms; but when the lever 1 is rocked so as to' release the downwardly extended star wheel' arm, the stop lever 2 will at the same time he n'iovcd into the path of that aim, so that its lower end will be struck by said arm, thereby temporarily stopping said star wheel. The blow which the star wheel arm applies to the levei' 2 when it strikes it, is in an upward direction, that is to say, toward the and therefore does not tend to rock said stop lever 2, nor consequently. the dctent lever 1. This blow therefore does not tend to impart to lever l and the mechanism connected with it any such teetering or vibrating motion as is sometimes imparted to the correspondof a .key Vlever f Alocated above the star wheel, and

the rearwardly fall behind the upper arm 4 i ing parts of the mechanism shown in said prior patent.

Vhen the key lever T isreleased the weight of ^the associated reed is such as will cause these two levers torock to their normal positions. This carries the front end of the detent lever l into. the path of the star wheel arm 3, and it likewise withdraws the operative end of the stop lever 2 from its engagement with the star wheel arm 3", and this permits the star wheel to turn ythrough a short arc into substantially the position shown in the drawing.

Additionallythere is a rebound pawl 4:

provided. This. in the construction shown -in Fig. 1, is an independently pivoted pawl normally projecting into the path vof the star wheel When the star wheel turns in the matrix releasing direction, as shown by the arrow, the upwardly extended arm will engage this pawl and lift it and pass it before projecting arm engages with The pawl will thereafter of the star wheel.; wherefore if, when the rearwardly pointed arm ofthe star wheel engages the stop. lever 2, there is any tendency of. the star Wheel to rebound. that is to turn in the reverse directhe stop lever.

tion, this turningvmovement will be pre-'" This pawl vented .by the rebound pawl 4. normally occupies this position, and therefore obstructs any such backward turning of the star wheel as would result in releasing a matrix, and which might result from the pounding action of a matrix dropped into the magazine.

The construction shownvin Fig. 3 is as stated especially adapted for use iii releasing ji'istifying spaces from magazines 11, which* are similar to the matrix magazines. Thisv construction is substantially like that shown in Fig. l, except that the pawl 4 is made integral with the stop lever 2. This is desirable because it. lessons the cost of the mechanism. and because it eliminates the possibility that the pawl may'fail to act to prevent pounding` through. In the construetion shown iii Fig.' 1, it is possible that the pawl 4 may get stuck in its elevated posi`` tion.-or, if not that, it may by chancebe up when the pounding through tendency is manifested. But with the construction shown iu Fig. 3 this caimot happen. The mechanism for operating the escapement levers l and 2 is substantially such as is shown and described in the pending applicaltiou ot' B. F. Bellows, Serial'No. 507,918.

pivot, That is to say. each lever l is under the iiiiiuence ot' a spring 13 tending to move it in the releasing direction. lt is restrained from so moving by a cam 16 which is turned monstre t direction to restore lever 2l to its originel position. 'lChe timing oi' the movements of the cem insures the proper action of the'perts with which it cooperates. vrlhe pevvl 4a does not prevent the rebo'unding'of the star wheel when the escepement is operated, but this is not so necessary in o construction vvhere the esciipement is operated by properly timed mechanism, as it is in the construction shown in Fig. l, which is to befopereted by oper-v ators Whose touch uponthe keys vvill vary greatly.

The relative chespnessot the construction shown in `lllig. 3 and the certainty that the pawl it will always ect to prevent pounding through makes this` the preferred construe tion tor timed mechanically operated escsipen nient mechanism. lt would also be preferred tor manually operated escapenient mechenisnis, except for the the operators very. Une vvho would release the key levers tooslovvly might thereby so deley the return ot porvi it `to its normal position that et 'matrix could .pound through betere seid pewldid assume the position wherein it would prevent this operation.

rllhose familia-r with this art vvill understond thatthe described escepenient mechanism is provided for and associetedwith each magazine. The part 20 which is shown in.4 Fig. l is no port et the present invention. lt is, in tiret, a movable locking ber which when in the position shown, prevents the operation of all ot the escnpenient mechenisms. lfihen the machine is in condition for assembling matrices through the actuation et the escapement, this locking bar is to be moved out of the Way.

toet that the touchiot.

Having described my inventioin l claim: l. lin escepement mechanism, the combinetion with, e magazine' adopted to contain smell pieces et metal such` es matrices .and spacers, and e rotatable posed so that magazine, with e.

ster vvheel disits arms may projectinto seid detent lever adapted tor movement such es vvill carry it into or with- -'di-emv it from the path ol' the ster Wheell arms, atstcp lever adapted for movement into end out of the path ci said star wheel firms, seid two leversbeing respectively pro-- vided with e notch, and e tinger which pro-u jects into seid notch whereby they ure conipelled to' move reciprocally.

2. ln escepenient mechanism, the combinetionivith e. insgiucine odepted to contain smell pieces ot' niet-.il such es motrices and spacers, and :i rotatable ster wheel disposed so that its arms muy project into seid iue'gw eine, with a restraining detent lever adapted to engage one erin of the star Wheel to preveut the rotation of thelzitter in one direc tion or to move out of the poth ,of Seid erin to permit seid rotation, e stop lever adapted to be moved into und out o' the nth oi e star Wheel erm reciprocslly Wit respect to seid detent lever, said stop lever carrying :i pewl which is placed so as to project into the path of seid ster Wheel arms, while seid stop lever does not project into seid path, and vice verset.

ln testimony whereof, l hereunto eliix roy signature in the presence of two .vitnesses.

ARTHUR lll.. lili) BOINC ldlitnesses z I ROY d. Sonnen, ltos'rm lll. VvYiLsoN. 

